Flight to Freedom
by JoolsFan
Summary: Safe in Italy, the Von Trapps think they are finally free from the Nazis and Herr Zeller. But are they really?
1. Prologue

Flight to Freedom - by JoolsFan  
  
PG-13 for violent situations.  
  
Disclaimer: The Sound of Music and its characters belong to 20th Century Fox. No infringement intended.  
  
Author's Notes: This story heavily refers to imnotacommittee's "Streets of Salzburg" . At the end of that story, the Von Trapps have escaped to Italy. Maria's been shot, but is recovering, and the family is together, and safe. Remembering that, it should be possible to read this as a stand-alone story. Still, I strongly recommend you to read "Streets of Salzburg" - simply because it is a wonderful piece of fanfic!  
  
HUGE thanks to Amy for letting me refer to her story and for helping me with this one - I truly could not have done it without her. Thank you, Amy, for your input and ideas.  
  
***  
  
~Prologue~  
  
"Open up!! Open this door!" an angry voice shouted.  
  
"Yes, yes, I'm coming," yelled Frau Schmidt at whomever it was pounding at the door. She hurried down the stairs, trying to pull on her robe and wondering who on earth would be making such a racket at six in the morning.  
  
As she opened the door, she was rudely pushed aside by Herr Zeller, who mentioned to four Nazi soldiers to follow him inside. He pointed at two of them.  
  
"You two, up the stairs to the bedrooms. Carl, Heinrich, search the ground floor."  
  
The soldiers quickly did as they were told, leaving Frau Schmidt and Zeller alone in the hall.  
  
"Well!" Frau Schmidt exclaimed as she recovered from shock enough to speak. "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
Herr Zeller looked at her in disdain.  
  
"Don't act so innocently, Frau Schmidt," he told her. "You don't expect me to believe you hadn't noticed that the whole family is gone?"  
  
Frau Schmidt's mouth opened in surprise. "Gone?" she echoed, not understanding.  
  
Her surprise increased when she saw Franz emerge from the back of the house, fully dressed and looking very awake.  
  
"Never mind her, Zeller, " he said. "I'm convinced she didn't know."  
  
Frau Schmidt looked from Franz to Herr Zeller and back. As understanding dawned on her, her expression turned scared. However, the two men paid no attention to her anymore.  
  
"I've checked the outbuildings," Franz continued. "They took the car."  
  
Zeller nodded.  
  
"We found it abandoned in the city." He looked up as Carl and Heinrich emerged from the salon.  
  
"Nothing," they reported.  
  
Zeller looked around, trying to decide what to do. He hadn't really expected to find anything, but had wanted to do a thorough search to be sure.  
  
The two soldiers who'd searched the bedrooms were coming down from the stairs.  
  
"Some of the dressers were open and there were clothes spread out on the beds. They didn't take much, by the look of it, only the bare necessities. They must have left in a hurry," one of them reported. "The desk in the study was completely cleared out, though."  
  
Zeller sighed. The Captain had obviously planned his escape quickly, but thoroughly.  
  
He turned to Franz.  
  
"I'm sure you will keep me informed if there is any news." It was a statement, not a question.  
  
"Certainly, sir," Franz replied.  
  
Then Zeller nodded to his soldiers curtly, and as suddenly as they'd arrived, they disappeared again, leaving behind Franz and a flabbergasted Frau Schmidt. 


	2. Chapter 1

~Chapter 1~  
  
"It is so beautiful here, Georg," Maria sighed as she looked out over the hills.  
  
He didn't respond, and she looked sideways to him, raising her eyebrows.  
  
"Georg? Don't you think it's lovely here?"  
  
"What? Oh, sorry. Yes, very much so," he agreed, absentmindedly.  
  
His eyes had not been on the landscape, but gazing at Maria. He was so happy and grateful that she was sitting here, outside for the first time since she had been injured, enjoying the Italian evening sun with him.  
  
The children had been in Italy for almost two weeks now and they were glad to be together again as a family. With his children safe with him again and Maria healing quickly, Georg realized he had finally found some peace of mind.  
  
Maria knew what he was thinking.  
  
"It's good to be here," she smiled, indicating their situation in general as well as her being outside in one comment. Instead of answering, he pulled her close to him and kissed the top of her head softly.  
  
They sat for a while longer, until the sun had gone down behind the hills completely, and it started to get chilly.  
  
"We should go inside," Georg suggested, and offered Maria his arm to get up. She nodded. She did take his arm to stand, but Georg was pleased to notice that she hardly put her weight on him. She was moving and walking with surprising ease. Her injury had healed better than he had hoped for.  
  
They went inside and found Max and the older children sitting around the fire in the living room.  
  
"We're turning in," announced Maria, smiling slightly apologetic. "I'm a bit tired, being out of bed all day for the first time. Goodnight everyone."  
  
Upon seeing her parents enter, Liesl walked up to her mother and kissed her cheek. "I'm so happy that you're getting better," she told her. Behind her, Friedrich and Louisa nodded in agreement.  
  
Maria wished her goodnight, and went over to kiss Louisa and Friedrich on the cheeks as well, before leaving the room.  
  
Georg looked at the small scene with a smile. "You three, don't stay up too late," he warned his children with a twinkle in his eyes, before following Maria up the stairs.  
  
As they entered the bedroom, Maria turned to Georg. "I'm going to take a shower," she said, and gave him a soft kiss before walking toward the bathroom door.  
  
Georg sat down on the bed and watched her back as she disappeared into the bathroom. He glanced upwards and said a small prayer of thanks. Only four weeks ago he had held her in his arms, afraid that she would die. Now, she was getting her health back again, he had his family around him, and they were away from the Nazis - he was truly grateful.  
  
***  
  
When Maria emerged from the bathroom, she saw her husband sitting up on the bed, holding a notepad and pen.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked, sitting down next to him. She was rubbing her hair dry with a towel, using only her right hand to avoid straining the injury on her left too much.  
  
"Just writing down some ideas," Georg answered. "I'm trying to think of how we should go on with our lives." He wanted to involve her in making plans for the future, he thought. He remembered her anger at not being in on the plans he and Max had made to escape from Salzburg. There had been no time to do things differently then, but he was confident there would be now.  
  
Maria nodded, lowering her hand to her lap. They hadn't discussed what to do now that they were out of danger, as they were still concentrating on her recovery. But they would have to talk about it sooner or later, she knew.  
  
Georg seemed to think however, that this was not the right time yet. He tossed the paper and pen to the floor next to the bed.  
  
"Let me take a look at your ribs," he said.  
  
She turned her back to him and slipped out of her robe, letting it fall onto the bed around her waist.  
  
Georg bent forward to examine her back. The wound was now healing rapidly, leaving only an angry red scar surrounded by yellowing, fading bruises. He gently touched the skin around the scar. Her ribs seemed to be getting better as well, though it would probably take several more weeks before Maria would be free of pain again.  
  
"I don't think I need to bandage this anymore," he said. He slid his hand upwards over her back and felt her draw in breath at his touch. He kissed her between the shoulder blades and inhaled her fresh, sweet scent. He was tempted to continue kissing her, but he forced himself to stop.  
  
"Turn around," he asked softly.  
  
She turned to face him. "It's looking better, isn't it?" she asked, looking at his face. He nodded, his eyes travelling to her left side. Part of his mind tried to tell him that she wasn't wearing anything, that he should take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. However, he was so afraid that he might hurt her that he forced himself to focus on the injury.  
  
A star-shaped, red scar now marred the skin under her left ribs where the bullet had exited her body. The bruises were fading here as well, but were still darker than on Maria's back. He gently felt for the broken ribs, and he noticed her tense under his touch.  
  
"That is still sensitive," she grimaced, but tried to smile. "It's a lot better than a few days ago, though."  
  
"Good," he murmured, and took a last long look at her side. When he was finished, he looked up to her face.  
  
Not taking her eyes off him, she leaned into him and kissed his lips.  
  
Electricity shot through Georg's body. While he was worried for her health, her life even, he had been too preoccupied to notice how much he had missed her touches and kisses. But as her health returned to her and a little peace came over him, he started to feel how his body ached for her as she lay in the bed with him every night. He had kept her in his arms, feeling her closeness and breathing in her sweet scent, but he had been afraid to do more than hold her to him, not wanting to cause her pain.  
  
As he bent over her now, kissing her, he almost let himself get carried away in the moment. But he felt her mouth twitch in pain under his lips as he tried to draw her closer, and he quickly pulled out of their embrace.  
  
"Forgive me," his whispered, the realization that he had just hurt her causing his stomach to contract.  
  
Maria let out a small moan. "Don't apologize," she mumbled. "It hurts.but I miss." she looked into his eyes, blushing slightly.  
  
"I know," he told her. "But I am grateful that you're still with me. We can be patient for a little while longer." He gave her a loving smile and stole another kiss, before gently helping her to lie down, and snuggling close to her. He carefully slipped his arm around her waist and she let out a soft sigh when she felt the comfort of his embrace. Temporarily satisfied just by their closeness, they drifted off to sleep.  
  
***  
  
The next morning, Georg woke up to the sound of knocking on their door.  
  
"Georg?" Max's voice came slightly muffled from the other side of the door.  
  
Georg slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb Maria, and looked around for something to put on. He found his shirt on the floor next to Maria's robe.  
  
He opened the door and stepped out into the hall, fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. Max smiled as he looked at his friend, but decided not to comment on his appearance.  
  
"You've missed breakfast," he stated instead.  
  
Georg looked up in surprise. "Why didn't you wake us?" he asked.  
  
"I sent Liesl to get you," explained Max. "You didn't answer when she knocked, and when she peeked in, you two were sleeping so tightly that she didn't have the heart to disturb you." He grinned at Georg.  
  
Georg raised his eyebrows at Max, not reacting to his friend's suggestive look. "Yes, we did sleep rather well," he stated. "But I don't think you came here just to tell me we missed breakfast."  
  
"No, indeed," said Max. "I wanted to tell you that I'm taking the children for a walk through the hills this morning. I thought you and Maria might like some quiet time to yourselves."  
  
Georg was slightly surprised at his friend's generous gesture, but nodded at him gratefully.  
  
"Thank you, Max," he said.  
  
Max just grinned and started to walk in the direction of the stairs. "We'll be back in time for a late lunch," he told Georg over his shoulder. "Just make sure you're decent by then, all right?"  
  
***  
  
About an hour later, Georg and Maria were sitting together at the kitchen table, both still in their robes, enjoying a cup of coffee.  
  
"That was a lovely breakfast, dear," Maria complimented Georg as she looked at their empty plates. "I never took you for a cook before!"  
  
Georg smiled and leaned in to kiss her.  
  
"Anything for you, my love," he told her.  
  
Maria took another sip of her coffee. "So, what ideas did you write down yesterday while I was in the shower?" she asked, taking the opportunity to discuss their plans for the future while they were together.  
  
"Well," said Georg, putting his hand on hers, "Quite a lot, really. I think you'll agree that we can't stay here."  
  
Maria nodded. Italy was sympathizing with Germany, and though it was still safe to be here for a while, she knew they could not be sure how much longer they would be able to remain here.  
  
"I've considered going to Switzerland, like Nikolas and Anke," Georg continued. "But with the Germans invading Poland and the Netherlands, I can't stop feeling that soon no country in Europe will be safe from Hitler anymore. So.. .. I think we should try going to America."  
  
He looked into her eyes, trying to fathom what she thought of this.  
  
"America.. .." Maria whispered, looking at his hand, which was still holding hers. "Georg, that's so far away!"  
  
He squeezed her hand. "I know, darling. But I want to put as much distance between Hitler's war and my family as possible."  
  
Maria considered this for a moment. The thought of leaving her beloved country so far behind unsettled her deeply.  
  
"I had hoped we would be able to go back to Austria someday. If we leave Europe, it would feel like.. .. a definite goodbye. And Switzerland is neutral, why can't we stay there? It will be more like home," she reasoned. Her expression saddened when she mentioned the word 'home'. It seemed a lifetime ago since they had left the villa.  
  
Georg looked into her eyes.  
  
"I understand, darling," he told her. "But if all of Europe gets into this war, even Switzerland might not be safe anymore. I want to keep my family safe and start a new life with them, and I think there is no better place for that at this time than America."  
  
She nodded in understanding, but didn't speak.  
  
"Maybe we can return to Austria someday. But the war could take years, and we need to live safely in the meantime. I owe that to you, and to the children," Georg added.  
  
Maria knew Georg was right. The most important thing was that they would be safe, and together. She wanted the children to have a reasonably normal life, without having to hide, or go hungry, or suffer any of the other effects of war. She looked up at him and smiled.  
  
"America it is, then," she said softly.  
  
"I'm glad you agree," Georg said, his voice kind. He knew how hard this was for her. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. "We'll manage, Maria, as long as we have each other."  
  
They gazed into each other's eyes for a while and knew their decision had been made.  
  
Georg kissed her hand again, pressing it to his cheek.  
  
"I'll start enquiring after boat schedules soon, so that we can start making concrete plans," he said. "But we'll stay here as long as you need to recover completely."  
  
Maria nodded. The sheer enormity of the decision they had just made was only slowly sinking in.  
  
"I think I'll get dressed," she said, a bit shaken, but with a brave smile.  
  
"I'll come with you," said Georg.  
  
As they walked up the stairs hand in hand, they realized that their future was slowly taking shape again. 


	3. Chapter 2

~Chapter 2~  
  
Herr Zeller sat behind his desk in a small office in Salzburg's Town Hall, which had been made into the Nazi headquarters for the entire Salzburg Bundesland.  
  
He was not pleased. Not pleased at all. For four days now, Zeller had been trying to find a trace of the Von Trapp family, but it seemed they had vanished into thin air. Nobody knew where they were, nobody had seen them.  
  
He had tried to put together a list of people who had attended the wedding, hoping to find somebody who knew where the family had gone. With the use of some, as he called it, "gentle persuasion", he had managed to get quite a large number of names together. He had questioned the cream of Salzburg's residents, but it seemed that all his work had lead to nothing, and the thought that Captain von Trapp could be getting further away from him with each passing day infuriated him.  
  
The only trace they had was the car that was stolen on the night the Von Trapps had disappeared. They had found it, driven into a ditch out of town. There had been blood on the passenger's seat, but Zeller was not sure what to make of it. He did believe that Captain von Trapp had stolen the car, but why then would he have left it only a few miles out of town? And who was hurt, the Captain, or his wife? And how on earth had they been able to disappear so completely if one of them was hurt?  
  
"I'll get him," he muttered under his breath, gritting his teeth.  
  
A knock on the door startled him.  
  
"Enter," he called curtly, annoyed that his thoughts were interrupted.  
  
A uniformed soldier entered his room.  
  
"Heil Hitler," he saluted.  
  
Zeller looked at the youngest member of his squad in disdain. "What do you want, Jürgen?" he snapped at him.  
  
"Well sir, I have some information for you, sir, regarding Captain von Trapp."  
  
This perked Zeller's interest, and he motioned for the young soldier to carry on.  
  
"Well, sir, we have been checking the house of Nikolas Lang in Anif regularly. First, his family disappeared, and now he has been gone for a few days, as well."  
  
Zeller frowned, uncomprehending. "What does that have to do with Captain von Trapp?" He was clearly annoyed.  
  
"Sir, they are considered heroes in Salzburg! They served together in the war!"  
  
"Heroes?!" Zeller spat, enraged at the word. But the impact of what the soldier told him quickly took over.  
  
The young soldier looked taken aback at Zeller's outburst, but hesitantly continued.  
  
"Well, this morning I was going through the reports that came in over the last few days, looking for something that could help us along. And I noticed that a soldier called Reinhard stopped two men and a sick woman at the barricade near Anif a few days ago, and with the blood you found in that car. and Nikolas Lang disappearing around the same time. I thought." His voice trailed off and he looked sideways at Zeller, suddenly feeling that his theory was terrible and that he'd certainly be punished for wasting Herr Zeller's time.  
  
But Zeller's expression had changed. Jürgen's words were playing through his head and his mind was racing, putting it all together.  
  
"Reinhard, you say?" he inquired of Jürgen.  
  
"Yes sir, he's under Captain Nussbaum's command," the boy supplied, still wondering if he had done the right thing by coming to Zeller.  
  
Zeller grabbed behind him for his coat and hat, already on his way to pay a visit to this Reinhard. As he looked up, he saw that Jürgen was still standing near the door.  
  
He motioned his with his hand for him to leave. The boy saluted and, looking confused, quickly disappeared.  
  
***  
  
Maria looked up from the stove as she heard someone entering the kitchen. Georg walked up to her and greeted her with a kiss.  
  
"Hello darling," she said, kissing him back. "Did you get the information from the station?"  
  
"Yes, I'll show you later. What are you doing?" he asked, shooting a surprised glance at the pots and pans that were covering the table and counter. He walked over to Marta and Gretl, who were cleaning strawberries by the sink, and kissed them on the heads. They looked up at their father and smiled.  
  
"Look Father, we have strawberries," Marta stated the obvious and beamed at him.  
  
"I see, what a treat," he smiled. "And they're not even blue!" The girls giggled at this remark.  
  
Then Georg turned to face Maria, who'd sat down, and raised his eyebrows at her.  
  
"I decided to cook us a celebration dinner," she told him, explaining the state of the kitchen.  
  
"Celebration dinner? What celebration?" He looked at her, not understanding.  
  
"Well, we're safe, we're all together, I'm feeling much better. I'd say all of that is enough reason to celebrate, don't you?" Maria was smiling, but her voice was quite serious.  
  
Georg nodded. She was right. After all they'd been through in the last few weeks, it surely was worth celebrating that they were all safe, and complete as a family.  
  
He walked up to her and kneeled next to her chair. Cupping her face in one hand, he kissed her softly.  
  
"Just don't overdo it," he told her gently. "You still need to take it easy."  
  
"I've been getting plenty of help," Maria smiled, nodding at the two girls. "Liesl is upstairs changing the beds, and Friedrich and Louisa went into town to pick up some things from the market for me. I thought you might have run into them."  
  
"No, I didn't see them," Georg answered, glad that the children were trying so hard to help Maria. He got up and peered into the oven, attracted by the smell that came from it. "Is that Apfelstrudel?"  
  
"Max's favourite," Maria nodded. "He's done so much for us, it's the least I could do." She grinned.  
  
"Mother?" came Marta's voice from the sink. "We're finished with the strawberries!"  
  
Maria looked up at her two youngest daughters. "Thank you darlings," she said. "I don't think I have anything else to do for you. Why don't you go see what Uncle Max and Kurt and Brigitta are doing? You can tell them dinner will be ready in half an hour."  
  
Georg pulled up a chair to sit next to his wife, and together they watched the two little ones run out of the kitchen, calling out for their brother and sister.  
  
Georg put his hand over Maria's and squeezed it. As they shared a happy glance, he put her hand to his lips and kissed it.  
  
"I love you," he said, and they leaned in for a kiss.  
  
"Ahem." Max cleared his throat to make his presence known. "Maybe I should leave you two alone," he suggested as Georg and Maria looked up at him.  
  
"Please do," Georg said with mock seriousness, and turned back to Maria for another kiss. But she laughed at him and motioned to Max to sit down.  
  
Georg sighed, knowing he was defeated.  
  
"Tell me what they said at the train station," Maria asked Georg, as Max sat down.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, yes, of course." Georg had been so taken with the scene he'd found upon coming home, that he had for a moment forgotten what he had gone into town for.  
  
"They told me that there is a boat for America from Genua every Saturday morning. It's only about four hours by train from Milan to Genua, and there are trains every day, so it should be a fairly easy journey."  
  
Max looked at his friend.  
  
"So you have really decided to go to America, Georg?" he asked. "You don't want stay here for the winter, see what happens?"  
  
Georg shook his head. "Maria and I have discussed this, Max. We can't stay here forever; we need to start building a new life. The war is getting the whole continent into its grip and it will become increasingly more difficult to get out of Europe. We want to leave while we still can."  
  
Maria nodded. She and Georg shared a quick glance, and Maria turned to face Max. "We understand if you want to stay here, but we were hoping that you'd. perhaps want to join us?"  
  
"Well, I can't go back to Austria," Max thought aloud. "I'll be arrested the moment I cross the border." He looked from Georg to Maria and back.  
  
"There must be enough singing talent in America for me to discover, I suppose."  
  
Maria smiled a broad smile at him. "Plenty," she told him.  
  
"We can stay here for a few more weeks," Georg continued, also looking happy with Max's decision. "Until Maria's ribs have healed completely. We'll have plenty of time to prepare ourselves."  
  
At that moment, the kitchen door flew open and Friedrich and Louisa stumbled in, panting heavily.  
  
"Father!" Friedrich cried out. "We saw Nazis in the village!" 


	4. Chapter 3

~Chapter 3~  
  
Georg, Maria and Max looked at Friedrich with their mouths open.  
  
"What? Are you sure?" Georg demanded, standing up and walking up to his son.  
  
Friedrich nodded vehemently.  
  
"We came out of the bakery, and we almost bumped into two Nazis who were walking past!"  
  
Louisa nodded to confirm her brother's story.  
  
"Yes, and we wanted to wait and see where they were going, but we were afraid they'd see us," she added, still out of breath. "So we ran all the way from the village to tell you!"  
  
Georg looked around at Maria and Max, who were still looking at Friedrich and Louisa in horror.  
  
Georg looked back at his children. "You did well, telling us right away," he told them. They were both looking at him wide-eyed, their scared faces anxious to be reassured by him. It hurt him that he was not able to give them the reassurance they so desperately wanted. He put his hands on Friedrich's shoulders. "Now go upstairs and see if you can help Liesl," he said. "But don't say anything yet."  
  
He patted Friedrich's shoulder and slightly caressed Louisa's cheek. They nodded at him, still looking scared, but turned to go upstairs as he'd told them.  
  
As Georg turned around, he met Maria's scared look.  
  
"How did they find us here?" she asked him.  
  
He shook his head, sitting down again. "I don't know, darling," he said, grabbing her hand over the table and holding it, trying to think of what to do. He had not seen any Nazis himself, when he came from the station - that must mean there weren't too many around. Not yet, anyway. He remained silent while he tried to think of all possibilities.  
  
Maria glanced sideways at him. For a moment, Georg seemed as cool and distant as he had been during most of their ordeal in Salzburg. It still unnerved her to see how quickly her husband could change from a warm and loving man to a calculating Captain.  
  
He noticed her glance, and realising how he must come across, he smiled at her briefly. "We'll be all right," he promised.  
  
***  
  
"Father, how did they find us?" asked Louisa, breaking the silence, phrasing what they all wanted to know.  
  
All ten of them were sitting at the kitchen table, ready to go, waiting for nightfall.  
  
When her father didn't answer, Louisa turned to Maria. "Mother?"  
  
Maria looked at Louisa's pale face. Even though it was usually hard to find out what went on in Louisa's head, this time the girl could not hide her fear.  
  
"We don't know, darling," she answered. Louisa didn't ask any further.  
  
"I thought that we were safe in Italy," came Brigitta's soft voice.  
  
"We'll be safe again soon, sweetheart," Maria told her, trying to convince the children as much as herself.  
  
They were silent again, and seconds seemed like hours as they waited for the time to come when they would leave.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, Georg stood up.  
  
"It's time," was all he said.  
  
As Maria stood up as well, they exchanged a glance over the table. Two tight smiles showed nervousness, but also trust in each other - and their future.  
  
***  
  
They walked along the dark road in silence towards the village, where they intended to get on the train to Milan. Max carried Gretl, while Georg held Marta's hand. The children's faces were white and solemn.  
  
Maria was walking next to Louisa. Occasionally, she glanced sideways at her daughter, whose trembling lower lip was the only sign that gave away her fear. When Maria caught Louisa's eye, she smiled reassuringly at her.  
  
Suddenly, Georg stopped walking.  
  
"What is it?" Maria asked, but he turned around and motioned to everyone to be quiet.  
  
"There's a car approaching," he said. "Quickly!" He pulled Marta by the hand, shoving her into the bushes by the side of the road.  
  
"Come, everyone, hide," he whispered, nodding his head toward the bushes.  
  
The children and Max disappeared into the undergrowth. Maria walked up to her husband. He was peering into the dark, wondering why he could not yet see the headlights of the car he heard approaching.  
  
Maria felt for his hand, and he looked at her for a second. Squeezing her hand in an attempt to comfort her a bit, he gave her a tight smile and motioned to the bushes.  
  
"Go on," he told her, and she did, glancing back at him with a worried frown. As she knelt to hide from sight, her left side stung and she bit her lower lip. She sent a prayer heavenward, asking for the strength to ignore her pain and guide her children through this.  
  
As the car rounded the bend in the road, Georg could see the headlights were off, and it was suddenly closer than he had thought. He turned around and dove into the bushes, scrambling over the ground while at the same time trying to keep an eye on the car. It passed them slowly, and Georg could make out at least four shapes inside it. It was too dark too see their faces, but it was obvious that they were looking for something, or somebody.  
  
As the car passed the bush in which they were hiding, he released his breath, which he had not even realised he'd been holding.  
  
"Do you think that those were the Nazis, Father?" Kurt's voice was close to Georg's ear.  
  
Georg looked aside to see the vague shape of his son's face in the darkness. He only nodded. "Where's Max?" he wondered, looking around, but not seeing much in the dark jumble of branches and leaves.  
  
"I'm here, Georg. I was just discovering the joys of lying down in a patch of nettles," Max's voice came from behind him. Georg got up carefully and moved towards Max.  
  
"We should stay off the road," Georg whispered to him. Max nodded. Maria joined them, pushing the branches away from her face and trying to pluck a thorny branch from her skirt with the other hand. "How will we get to the station without being discovered?" she asked, keeping her voice down. "It's too dangerous to follow the road," said Georg, looking around and wondering what other options there were.  
  
"Father?" Friedrich had been listening intently. "Louisa and I walked to the village through the fields this afternoon. I'm sure we'll be able to find it in the dark, won't we, Louisa?" He looked around, trying to find his sister. Louisa was right behind him and confirmed what her brother said by nodding.  
  
"Are you sure?" Georg looked at his oldest son with slight admiration. Friedrich nodded.  
  
"Alright," said Georg. "You show us the way then." He looked around, trying to make out the faces of his family in the dark.  
  
"Come," said Friedrich, proud that his father put such faith in him. He dove further into the bushes, followed by his brother and sisters.  
  
Georg felt Maria's hand on his arm.  
  
"Are you sure you should let Friedrich lead the way?" He could feel her breath on his face as she stood close to him, whispering.  
  
"Maria, they've been roaming the countryside for the last two weeks. I think he knows his way around here better than anyone of us."  
  
Maria sighed. She knew Georg had a point, but she was still anxious.  
  
He touched her face lightly. "Are you alright?"  
  
She stole a quick kiss to assure him that she was fine.  
  
"All right then. Let's follow the leader," Georg tried to lighten her mood a little, and took her by the hand while they went after Friedrich and the others.  
  
***  
  
As they emerged out of the bushes Maria looked around, and found that they were on the edge of a field of corn. To their left, she could just make out the dimly lit windows of a farm.  
  
Friedrich and Louisa were standing by a fence, looking up at their father's face a little hesitantly. Georg nodded at them to show his encouragement.  
  
The two turned around, and Louisa started climbing over the fence into the cornfield. Georg shot a glance at Maria before going after them, worried about how she would manage climbing over the fence with her broken ribs. Max was already lifting Gretl over the fence, into the arms of Louisa, who put her youngest sister on the ground on the other side. The other children climbed over easily, as the fence was merely there as a boundary, only a meter high, and not really designed to keep people out. Georg watched Maria's face closely as Friedrich helped her to climb onto the fence and swing her legs over. He saw her face contract with pain for a moment, but she didn't say anything. Knowing that she did not want to worry him, he decided not to comment.  
  
They walked along the fence for a few meters until they reached a path through the corn. The waving plants were two meters high and the small path was pitch black.  
  
"Wait," Georg whispered at Friedrich. Turning around to see if everybody was still close, he said: "Everybody, hold hands. Max, you'll close the line, and I'll go first. Nobody let go of each other!"  
  
Georg went ahead into the darkness of the narrow corn tunnel. Friedrich was right behind him, holding his father's hand tightly. Maria was in the middle, Gretl on one side, Liesl on the other.  
  
For a while, the only sound that could be heard was the nervous breathing of ten people, and the wind rustling through the corn above their heads.  
  
Suddenly they reached the end of the cornfield and were standing near another fence again. Georg looked up at the stars, determining which way to go. He nodded silently as Friedrich pointed to their right.  
  
"Look Father, we have to get over this fence, and then go in the direction of that farm there. That's the beginning of the village," Friedrich indicated.  
  
Again, the whole family climbed over a fence, and started trudging through a muddy field.  
  
They managed to reach the edge of the village without difficulty. As they slipped through the gate of the field onto the road again, Friedrich beamed with pride as his father squeezed his shoulder.  
  
"Well done," Georg told him. He assessed where they were and how far it would still be to the station. Checking his watch, he calculated they would have to move fast if they still wanted to get on the last train to Milan. They would have to get into the streets again, and remembering their encounter with the darkened car before, Georg was not happy with that at all. Still, he had no choice.  
  
He motioned for his family to cross the street. It was lined with trees on that side, allowing them some dark shadows to hide in at least. Georg ran across the street last, looking around carefully. To his relief, the village seemed deserted, and they hurried along in the direction of the station.  
  
Georg looked up as he felt Maria moving up beside him. "Don't you think the station will be crowded with Nazis?" she asked him, looking worried.  
  
He shook his head. "They are probably keeping an eye on it, but I don't think there are very many of them here. It's not like in Salzburg; the Nazis have to keep a low profile while they're in Italy. If we're careful, we should be able to get on that train."  
  
Maria nodded, hoping he was right. She hadn't forgotten what happened the last time they had tried to escape together by train.  
  
Georg seemed to know what she was thinking. He put his arm around her and pulled her closer. "We will stay together, Maria, whatever happens. I promise."  
  
She swallowed and closed her eyes, praying that he would be right.  
  
As they approached the village square on which the station bordered, Georg made the whole family stop. He looked around, trying to determine if it was safe to cross the square.  
  
"Maria? Children?" he pointed to the left, where a group of trees cast a dark shadow over a little music pavilion. Maria ushered the children into the shadows, casting a worried glance at her husband. Max and Georg remained together on the edge of the open space. Slowly, Georg took a few steps, still carefully scanning around for movement. Apart from a couple walking up the steps of the station in the distance, there was nobody around. Georg and Max walked towards the middle of the square, now completely in the open and clearly visible in the light of the lanterns. Still not seeing anything that worried him, Georg started to feel a little more at ease. Exchanging a glance with Max, he started to turn around, wanting to motion to Maria and the children to follow them.  
  
Just as he raised his hand in Maria's direction, a car drove out of a street to his right at high speed, screeching to a halt only two meters behind him. As Georg turned around and squinted his eyes at the headlights, two men jumped out. A split second before Georg started to run, he recognised a voice he had hoped never to hear again yell: "Get him!" 


	5. Chapter 4

~Chapter4~  
  
Georg and Max ran toward the edge of the village square, followed by Herr Zeller and a uniformed Nazi soldier.  
  
"Stop or we will shoot!" yelled Herr Zeller, but Max and Georg were fast and dove into a narrow street.  
  
Maria watched in horror from behind the wooden music pavilion. She motioned to the children to move further behind it, while she tried to see if there were any more Germans around, remembering that the car that had passed them in the road had had at least four people in it. She wondered where the other two were, and if they knew she and the children were there, too.  
  
Georg and Max were still running along the alley, hearing the footsteps of Zeller and the soldier following them. Georg looked around, frantically searching for a way to escape. He noticed that they were running along the graveyard that surrounded the village church.  
  
"Max!" he hissed, while pointing at the gate to the graveyard, a few meters down the alley.  
  
Max quickly got the hint and to his relief, the gate was not locked. They ran onto the graveyard, trying to cover as much ground as possible.  
  
Georg heard the gate clanging as Zeller and the soldier opened it. He could hear them whispering urgently. Glancing around, he saw Max close to the church, motioning for him to run over.  
  
The grass of the graveyard rushed as Georg ran to the cover of another headstone, trying to hide in the shadows of the old trees.  
  
Zeller peered in the direction of the sound. "It's no use, Captain," came Herr Zeller's voice. "We know you are here. If you come out now, your family might remain safe."  
  
Georg hesitated when he heard these words. He hoped Zeller was just bluffing - it was possible that he didn't know Maria and the children were out here with them. But what if. .. he didn't dare think further. He noticed Max motioning wildly for him to run on. Sending a quick prayer upwards for his family's safety, he sprinted over to him, deciding he needed to try and get to Maria and the children. Max disappeared around the corner of the church. Georg shot a glance over his shoulder before following him, and saw the two shapes of their pursuers moving slowly across the graveyard, checking behind all the headstones and trees.  
  
"The front of this churchyard borders on the village square," Max whispered as he heard Georg come up behind him. Bending over as deep as they could, the two men ran around the church. Indeed, when they came to the front, they could see the square in front of them. Carefully, staying in the shadows as much as possible, Georg scanned the empty space. The Nazi car stood deserted, with its doors open and the headlights still on.  
  
A plan formed in Georg's head. Hoping that Maria would still be hiding behind the pavilion with the children, he motioned to Max. They crept to the hedge that separated the church grounds from the square. Peeking through the leaves, Georg whispered: "Maria?"  
  
"Georg!" Her voice sounded tense, but close. He could see some movement in the darkness behind the pavilion. Georg stood up and edged toward an opening in the bushes. He pointed at the German car, praying that Maria would understand his intention. She nodded quickly and disappeared back into the shadows.  
  
When he saw Friedrich's head peeking around the other side of the small wooden building, he motioned toward the car again.  
  
"Max?" Georg looked around to see his friend standing close to him. Exchanging a glance, they ran from the cover of the hedge, as Friedrich ran from behind the pavilion. They reached the car at the same time. Max ran around it to the passenger's side, Friedrich jumped into the back seat, and Georg waited by the driver's door, helping the rest of the children in as quickly as he could as they came running. As Maria closed their ranks, dragging Gretl along by the arm, Georg jumped behind the wheel and drove off.  
  
Alarmed by the clatter of running feet, Herr Zeller and the Nazi soldier came sprinting around the corner, and could hardly avoid being run over by Georg as he sped the car away from the village as fast as he could.  
  
"Damn!" Zeller swore and pulled out his gun, shooting two or three rounds after the disappearing car in vain. "Damn!!"  
  
He turned to the soldier who stood panting next to him. "Carl, where are the others?" he demanded, eyes shooting fire.  
  
"They were checking the other side of the station," he answered. As he spoke, a car sped onto the square from the direction of the station, and pulled up behind them. Three soldiers got out.  
  
"What happened? We heard shots," one of them inquired.  
  
Zeller wasted no time on explanations. "Everybody, get in that car and follow them! I will not let him get away this time," and he ran toward the car, getting in the passenger's seat. The soldiers quickly followed him, and soon, they were in pursuit of the Von Trapps.  
  
*** For a while, Georg drove as fast as he could, while the whole family sat in tense silence. Maria kept looking over her shoulder, trying to determine if they were being followed. Her heart was beating in her throat. Also, the running had aggravated the pain in her ribs, and it was only made worse by holding Gretl in her lap. She tried not to pay attention.  
  
As they drove away from the village further, they met a few cars coming from the opposite direction. They overtook a bus, but she couldn't see a car coming after them. Shifting Gretl slightly, Maria bent forward between the front seats and turned to Georg.  
  
"Now what do we do?" she asked.  
  
He didn't answer her right away. Maria looked at the silhouette of his face in the dark and recognised the cold expression that she had seen so often only a few weeks ago. Vivid memories of that night flashed through her mind and a shiver crept down her spine. She knew his mind was racing and she remained silent while waiting for his answer.  
  
Finally, Georg seemed to form an idea.  
  
"We'll drive to Milan. It's only 20 miles, and I still want us to get on that train to Genua," he said.  
  
Maria nodded. "They will come after us," she said, knowing it was obvious, but it worried her all the same. Georg shot her a sideways stare that silenced her right away.  
  
"I know that. We'll have to remain ahead of them," he snapped.  
  
He glanced at her over his shoulder, and saw the hurt in her eyes at his cold retort. He felt behind him for her hand, and she hesitantly took his hand in hers.  
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered, squeezing her hand.  
  
They drove on, as a tense silence settled over them again. The children stared ahead into the darkness and Maria silently repeated a prayer, her eyes cast upwards.  
  
Max was turned around for most of the time, peering behind them into the darkness. After about five minutes, he nudged Georg.  
  
"There's a car closing in on us."  
  
Georg looked into the rear view mirror. It was impossible to make out what type of car it was, and who was in it. Georg considered turning the lights of the car off. It would make them harder to follow, but he would have to slow down as well, as the road would be pitch black without the car's headlights. He hit the gas even harder, deciding that he'd first try to see if the car behind them tried to stay close.  
  
Maria looked from her husband to the car behind them and back. They were speeding along the dark country road as fast as they could, but the distance between the two cars only seemed to get smaller.  
  
Georg saw a bend in the road coming up, but did not slow down. He hoped to create more distance between them and their pursuers by taking the bend at full speed. As he jerked the wheel to the right, the car skidded, only missing a tree by inches. The children gasped, and Maria winced in pain as Gretl grabbed her tightly, trying not to fall off her lap. "Damn," Georg mumbled, angry that he had miscalculated the bend. He grabbed the wheel tighter and tried to peer as far ahead of him as he could.  
  
"Are they still behind us?" he asked Max, not taking his eyes off the road and overtaking another car.  
  
As Max looked behind, he saw the pursuing car rounding the bend as well. By the look of it, it wasn't slowing down much, either. Max's eyes met Maria's before he turned back to tell Georg that the other car was still following.  
  
"How much further, Father?" asked Kurt, his voice trembling.  
  
"Not far, Kurt," answered Max, noting that Georg was too busy to answer his son. "We're already entering the outskirts of town, see?"  
  
Indeed, there were houses on each side of the road, Maria noticed as she looked outside. As they neared a crossroads, Georg had to slow down a little, but he was relieved to see some more cars coming from the road to their left. Hopefully they would be able to blend into the city traffic, confusing Zeller and his soldiers.  
  
Georg had only been to Milan once, when he arrived in Italy with Nikolas and Maria, but he trusted his sense of direction and logic to lead him to the city centre, where the station was. More or less following what seemed to be the main traffic flow, he made a few turns right and left, hoping to shake off the Germans completely. He still thought he was going in the right general direction. When he recognized the large cathedral, he suddenly realized they were at the back of the train station. He glanced at his watch, noting that the train for Genua would leave in fifteen minutes. If they hurried, they would just be able to make it.  
  
He turned the car sharply into an alley and turned the motor off. Not prepared for the sudden movement, the children bumped into each other and the front seats, causing a few exclamations and cries. Maria winced as Brigitta's elbow nudged her in the ribs. Georg didn't notice, as he was scanning the street to see if it was safe. Nodding his head at them, he indicated that they should get out of the car.  
  
As everybody piled out into the dark Milan alley, Georg mentioned for his family to follow him. They ran as fast as they could, Max carrying Gretl, to the back entrance of the large station. As they crossed the street, Georg looked around, and to his alarm saw a car approaching at high speed, disregarding all other traffic.  
  
"Hurry!" he hissed, and they sprinted up the stairs to the entrance. Georg heard the car screeching to a halt outside, the doors opening, and shouting which he could not make out.  
  
They ran into the large station hall and to Georg's enormous relief, it was crowded with people.  
  
"Platform 11," he said, looking up at the notice boards. "Max, you take Liesl and the little ones and walk ahead. Maria and I will take the others and lag behind a bit. That way we won't stand out as such a large group. Now go!"  
  
He turned to Maria as Max and Liesl both grabbed a hand of one of the younger girls, and pulled them along the crowded hall as fast as they could. He noticed that Maria was pale. As he placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her gently along the other side of the hall, he looked at her.  
  
"Your ribs?" he asked, looking worried. She nodded silently, biting her lip.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll manage, " she mumbled, placing her hands on the backs of Kurt and Louisa in front of her, urging them to move on.  
  
Georg gave her a searching glance, not quite convinced at her answer. He hated feeling so powerless to help her. Knowing there was nothing he could do to relieve her pain, he forced himself to focus on their situation. As they walked on, he glanced around quickly, and noticed Herr Zeller through a mass of people. He was standing atop the stairs which lead to the station hall. Zeller was peering around intently, but there were so many people, often with their backs turned to them, all wearing travel clothes and most of them carrying some sort of luggage, that he couldn't spot the Von Trapp family right away. Behind Zeller, two uniformed soldiers were looking around as well.  
  
Looking forward again, Georg saw Max and Liesl walking up the steps toward platform 11. Just as he and Maria reached those same steps, he heard Zeller's voice over the general hubbub.  
  
"There! Near the stairs!"  
  
Knowing they'd been spotted, Georg grabbed Maria's hand in his right hand, taking Brigitta's hand in the other. "Run!" he yelled at them, and they sprinted up the stairs to the platform. They reached Liesl and Max, who looked at them in horror, quickly grasping the situation. The train stood at the end of the platform, ready to leave. All the doors but one were already closed, and a train conductor stood on the platform, whistle in his hand. 


	6. Chapter 5

~Chapter 5~  
  
"Run for it!" Georg shouted again, and they all made for the train as fast as they could. They bumped into several people who were waiting for their train to arrive, but Georg didn't pay attention. They reached the train just as the conductor blew his whistle, and Max jumped in, pulling along the two little girls. Georg helped the rest of the children and Maria in through the narrow door.  
  
As soon as they were all inside, Georg heard the shouts of Herr Zeller on the platform.  
  
"Stop that train!" Zeller yelled, and the sound of the Nazi's boots thumping fast could be heard even inside the carriage.  
  
Georg pushed his family through the door that led to the compartments.  
  
"Walk on as far as possible," he instructed. Looking around, he saw that the conductor had got on and he could feel the train beginning to move. He closed his eyes while letting his breath escape from between his teeth. Would they have made it? He looked at Maria's back as she walked on, helping Brigitta to remain standing in the wobbling carriage. He bent over to a window and tried to look backwards at the platform. He could just see Zeller standing on the platform, flanked by two of his soldiers, and looking outraged.  
  
As the train gathered speed, Georg moved away from the window and leaned on one of the benches with both hands, breathing deeply to calm himself down.  
  
They made it. At least for a while, they were safe. But Zeller knew now what train they were on. He would most likely come after them again, following them to Genua, Georg thought. He had seen the look in Zeller's eyes and it had been one of sheer determination.  
  
As the Captain stood up and started walking to the next carriage, he tried to think of what to do next. His relief at being on the train faded away. While the train was moving, there was no way to get off. If Zeller and his men reached Allessandria, where the train would make a stop before continuing on to Genua, before the train did.. ... there would be no escape. Would the train take them to freedom - or were they speeding straight into a trap?  
  
Georg gritted his teeth. He felt under his jacket and touched the cold metal of the gun he was carrying. His family would not fall into Nazi hands - and neither would he.  
  
Two carriages further, he found Maria, Max and the children. The train was almost deserted, and they had this compartment to themselves. As Georg walked past the children, they all looked up at him. He forced himself to smile reassuringly at them, and the children let out a few nervous laughs as Georg patted Brigitta's head.  
  
"Don't worry now," he told them. "We'll be in Genua soon."  
  
The children started talking softly among each other, relieved at least for the moment, and Georg moved past Max to sit down next to Maria. She had not said anything since he'd joined them, and her face was pale. A thin layer of perspiration had formed on her forehead.  
  
"Maria," he said softly, wiping a lock of hair away from her face. She looked at him and tried to smile.  
  
"Are we safe?" she asked, lifting her hand to touch his face. He covered her hand with his and leaned in to kiss her.  
  
"Try to relax," he said as he drew back, avoiding her question. He looked at her intently. She was in no condition to be travelling, let alone hiding in the bushes or running around railway stations, and Georg felt as if he was personally responsible for her pain. The picture of a group of Nazi soldiers awaiting them in Genua flashed through his mind, and the idea that their ordeal might not be over yet sent shivers down his spine.  
  
"Answer me, Georg," Maria said, meeting his intense gaze. "You don't think we are safe yet, do you?"  
  
He turned away from her stare, looking out the window at the dark landscape that flashed by. He shook his head.  
  
"No, darling. I won't feel safe until we are on that boat for America," he answered. Turning to face her again, he kissed her cheek. "But for the next two hours, we are. So you just try to get some rest," he tried to reassure her a bit. Maria nodded, only half convinced. She realised though that while they were on the train, there was nothing much she could do but rest. Heaven knew she needed it, her ribs were throbbing and she felt faint. She laid her head back against the train seat and closed her eyes.  
  
Georg and Max sat in silence for a while. After about fifteen minutes, the children's talk faded as the younger ones were lulled asleep by the monotonous movements and sounds of the train. Kurt tried to stay awake, but eventually his head lolled sideways onto Louisa's shoulder. Normally, she'd have shrugged him off with an annoyed gesture, but now she let him sleep, staring ahead of her just like Friedrich and Liesl.  
  
Maria had fallen asleep, too, and Georg was glad. He gently touched her cheek, looking at her pale face and feeling worried. He took off his jacket and put it over her, trying to make her as comfortable as he could. After he'd made sure she was still fast asleep, he looked at Max.  
  
"They will come after us," he said. It was not a question.  
  
Max nodded.  
  
"They've come this far, they won't let us get away now," Georg continued, thinking aloud, only half speaking to Max. "What if they reach the station in Allessandria before we get there?"  
  
Max looked outside for a moment. When he turned back to look at Georg, his face was blank as he shook his head.  
  
***  
  
As he saw the train disappearing into the distance, Herr Zeller breathed in deeply to control his rage. It was the second time in one night he had let Captain von Trapp slip through his fingers. He turned around to shout at his men, wanting to relieve some of his anger, but as he did so he almost bumped into an Italian railway official, who had come to see what all the noise on platform 11 was about. Zeller grabbed the astonished man by the lapels and pulled him close to his face.  
  
"Where is that train going?" he demanded from him.  
  
The man stuttered, not understanding what Zeller meant. Letting go of one lapel, Zeller motioned angrily in the direction of the disappearing train. "Roma? Genua? Torino?" he tried.  
  
The scared official started nodded vehemently as he understood what this enraged man wanted from him. "Ad Allessandria, e poi a Genua!" he managed.  
  
Even though Zeller did not understand the Italian words, he did recognize the names of the cities. Satisfied, he rudely pushed the man aside and motioned to his men to follow him. Within minutes, the Nazi car was again speeding through the Italian night, heading for Allessandria.  
  
***  
  
As the train approached Allessandria, Georg started waking up his children. They sat quietly, looking groggy and tired, their faces pale. Last of all, he woke up Maria.  
  
As he touched her cheek, her eyes flew wide open. For the last half hour, her sleep had been light and restless. However, Georg was grateful to notice that she had regained a little bit of colour.  
  
"What is it?" she asked, looking very awake right away.  
  
"We'll be in Allessandria in 15 minutes," Georg explained to her. "I want us to move to the front of the train as far as possible. If we see Zeller, we have to get out, and we'll have the best chance if we are as close to the end of the platform as we can get. If he's not there, we will stay on the train and go on to Genua."  
  
Maria listened closely, looking worried. "Shouldn't we get off whether he is there or not? I mean, he will come to Genua after us, even if he does not reach Allessandria in time," she countered.  
  
Georg nodded. He had thought of that, too, but dejected the idea. "Genua is a much larger city. We will stand a better chance of hiding there, and if we're lucky, get on a boat as soon as possible. Trust me, darling," he told Maria.  
  
She breathed in deeply. She did trust him - after all, he knew what he was doing. That was not what was bothering her, though. She was scared. She looked into her husband's eyes. His look was serious, thoughtful. But she also saw love and determination in those eyes, and she drew strength from it. She nodded at him, showing her trust, and he bent over her to quickly kiss her lips.  
  
Maria handed him his jacket back, and they both got up.  
  
"Come," Georg motioned to the children, "to the front of the train."  
  
In a long line, they started moving through the compartments, making their way forward. Georg, Max and Maria helped the children through the doors that connected the carriages and across the moving plates that twisted under their feet as the train drove on. After a few minutes they had walked through all the carriages, and waited in the little hallway that separated the front carriage from the train engine. They all stood around near the door. The children looked up at their parents expectantly.  
  
"When the train stops, you pay close attention," Georg instructed his children. "If I say 'run' you run after Uncle Max. Don't look around, just run, do you understand? And you- " his eyes shot to Liesl, Friedrich, and Louisa "-make sure all of you stick together."  
  
He looked at seven very serious faces, all nodding at him. He was vaguely surprised at how well his children had been handling themselves ever since they had escaped from Salzburg. Despite their dire situation, he smiled encouragingly at them.  
  
"Good," he told them. "We'll be there soon. If I don't say anything, you just stay on the train." Again, the children nodded in silence.  
  
Georg moved to stand next to Maria. "If it comes to it, you run with Max and the children," he told her.  
  
Not liking the expression on his face, she cocked her head. "And where will you be?" she asked, anxiousness in her voice.  
  
"I'll make sure they don't come after us," he answered, his face grim.  
  
Maria noticed his hand moving to the gun he was carrying, a gun he had taken from another Nazi who was following them only weeks ago.  
  
"Georg.. .." she was shaken by the idea.  
  
He took her hand and brought it to his lips. "You just run, and don't look back. Whatever happens, keep running."  
  
Maria felt her stomach contract, but she nodded. Looking into her husband's eyes, she said: "Let's just pray that they aren't there."  
  
"Yes. Let's pray for that indeed," he answered.  
  
The train was slowing down now, and Maria felt her heartbeat quicken. She looked around at the pale, tight faces of the children, the serious face of Max, and the icy stare from her husband's blue eyes. As the lights of the platform came into view, she stared outside, trying to look at the people who were waiting for the train. Georg was staring outside too, an expression of pure concentration on his face.  
  
As Maria cast a quick glance at him, she felt a sense of wonder at this man, who could be so loving and gentle, but also so calculating and serious. Even though she felt she did not really know this part of him and it unsettled her a bit to see him like this, it somehow also filled her with trust and made her love him even more.  
  
The train came to a complete halt. Motioning for the children to step away, Georg opened the door, carefully staying as much out of sight as possible. Kneeling, he peered around the opening of the door and scanned the platform. There were only a few people there, quiet travellers who needed to be in Genua early in the morning. He did not see anything or anybody that indicated that the Nazis had made it to Allessandria in time.  
  
Georg looked around at Maria and Max. "All clear," he whispered, relaxing just a little bit. He turned his head back to look at the platform again. It was empty now, the few people who had been there had gotten on the train through one of the other doors. Georg saw the train conductor stepping back inside, somewhere in the middle of the train, and heard him blow his whistle. As the train slowly started moving, Georg let out a sigh of relief. He stepped back and started pulling on the door to close it. He exchanged a quick glance with Maria, who smiled at him in utter relief.  
  
"Will we make it to Genua, Father?" asked Friedrich, his voice trembling a little, but sounding hopeful.  
  
But before Georg could answer him, he heard a sound that turned his heart to ice.  
  
The sound of several pairs of heavy boots running echoed across the deserted platform.  
  
"Stop! Hold the train!" came a voice, in a near-repeat of what had occurred in Milan.  
  
Taking a huge risk, Georg peered round the corner of the still-open door to see Herr Zeller and his soldiers running toward the train. Georg's stomach dropped as he saw Zeller and two of the soldiers managing to jump onto the last carriage.  
  
Georg closed the door and slowly turned around. He looked into Maria's eyes, which were wide with fear.  
  
"Three of them are on the train," was all he said. 


	7. Chapter 6 and Epilogue

A/N: The panting Captain is for Amy! ;-)  
  
~Chapter 6~  
  
Nine pairs of eyes looked at the Captain in shock. Maria shook her head in disbelief, her face turning pale.  
  
Max was the first to speak.  
  
"Are you sure there are three of them?" he asked, looking at Georg. Georg looked up to his friend, and noticed that there was not a trace of Max' usual sarcasm left on his face.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure. Zeller managed to jump aboard along with two of his soldiers. The others didn't make it," Georg confirmed. He looked around at the faces of his children, who were all staring at him, their faces tight with fear.  
  
The Captain took a deep breath, trying to clear his head a little, forcing himself to concentrate. They were trapped. The Nazis would work their way up to the front of the train, and there would be nowhere to hide. He had to think of a plan - giving up was not an option.  
  
As he stared ahead, mind racing, Maria walked up to him and put a hand on his arm. They looked at each other for a moment and the Captain put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. He mouthed "I love you" at Maria, who managed a tight smile in return.  
  
Seconds ticked away and Georg knew the Nazis were getting closer to the front of the train with every tick of the clock. He seemed to reach a decision and took a deep breath.  
  
"All right, everybody, close to the doors," and he motioned with his hand to the children to come closer. His eyes drifted to Maria, glancing at her left side. He knew his idea would cause her even more pain. He swallowed, suddenly feeling sick. But he saw no alternative. He cast his eyes up, offering a quick prayer that his plan would work, and turned around.  
  
"Max?" He looked at his friend. "You take Marta."  
  
Max beckoned to Marta and she moved around Louisa's legs to stand next to him. Georg looked around him and found Liesl's eyes.  
  
"Liesl, you take Gretl." Liesl nodded and took her youngest sister by the hand. She didn't ask what she was supposed to do. Looking at her father, she knew he would explain what his plan was.  
  
Georg felt for Maria's hand and held it tightly.  
  
"I will force the door open," he began, while looking at the door handle. "Once it's open, I'll pull the emergency brake. I'll tell you when the train has slowed down enough to jump. Max, you go first, with Marta. Then the rest of the children and you, Maria," he said, turning to his wife. "I'll come last."  
  
"You can't let the children jump off a moving train," Maria protested, shooting an alarmed look from her husband to the children and back.  
  
"We'll wait until it's slowed down," Georg assured her. "But it takes a while for a train to come to a complete stop. Once the Nazis feel the train slowing down, they'll start moving faster. We won't have the time to wait until the train has stopped completely."  
  
"But it's dangerous!" Maria objected, a trace of panic in her voice.  
  
"Not as dangerous as staying on this train," Georg whispered at her, not wanting the children to hear his words.  
  
Maria sighed. She realised he was right, and did not see any other option either. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.  
  
The children were looking at their parents intently. They were relieved when Maria nodded to Georg in agreement, taking his hand and squeezing it.  
  
"We'll manage, Mother," Friedrich told her confidently.  
  
She gave him a tight smile. "I'm sure you will, darling," she told him.  
  
Georg let go of Maria's hand and grabbed the handle of the door.  
  
"Step back," he told Kurt and Brigitta, who were standing close to the door. He pulled hard and the door slid open. The sudden icy wind and noise that entered the carriage made the children take a step back. Trees whirred past in a blur.  
  
Georg tried to get an idea of the landscape. From what he could make out, it was mostly fields and groups of trees here and there. Not many places to hide - but they would have to risk it.  
  
"Hold on," he said, and reached up to the sign that said 'freno d'emergenza'. He pulled the handle down with force. Almost immediately, the sound of screeching brakes pierced the air and they all stumbled to stay on their feet as the train shook while slowing down.  
  
Georg turned his head and peered through the small window in the door that led to the compartments. He could only see a short way down the compartment and he had no idea where on the train the Nazis were. He turned to look outside again. He heard Maria mumbling next to him and when he turned around, he saw she was holding the gold cross he had given her on their honeymoon with one hand, while sending a prayer up into the dark night sky.  
  
The brakes kept squeaking and the train was slowing down rapidly. The Captain exchanged a glance with Max and they nodded at each other.  
  
Max moved to the door, steadying himself with one hand while holding Marta tight with the other.  
  
"Come, dear," he told her gently. "Put your arms around my waist and hold on tight, all right? We'll jump out and then roll along the ground, we'll be just fine!"  
  
Marta's wide eyes searched for Maria's, looking for assurance. Maria smiled at her in encouragement, and Marta nodded bravely and wrapped her arms tightly around Max. Max pulled her close to him with one arm, using the other for balance. He tried to estimate the speed of the train. Even though they were slowing down considerably, the ground was still flashing by at high speed. He could not risk waiting longer, though.  
  
"One, two.. .. " Max counted, and jumped. As his feet touched the ground he put his other arm around Marta's head protectively. They rolled a few meters and to Georg's enormous relief, he saw them both sit up. That left eight more to jump.  
  
He peered through the window into the carriage again, getting nervous. He urged the boys to the door. "You saw it. Jump, and roll over to lose speed when you hit the ground."  
  
"Yes Father," they both nodded.  
  
Friedrich looked back for a second, and then jumped, without further ceremony. As Kurt saw his brother go, he did not want to stay behind, and went after him quickly. Maria nodded at Louisa, who looked at her questioningly. Louisa exchanged a quick glance with her father and then she, too, jumped. She managed to stay on her feet, as the train was still slowing down.  
  
As Brigitta stood in the doorway hesitating, Georg suddenly saw movement through the small carriage door window.  
  
"Damn!" he swore, and motioned his hand at Brigitta to jump. She looked up at her mother, tears rolling down her cheeks. Maria put her hand on the girl's head.  
  
"You can do it," she whispered encouragingly. Brigitta held her breath, closed her eyes, and jumped.  
  
The Nazis were now running through the last compartment and Maria put her hands on Liesl's shoulders, urging her to jump. As Gretl started to cry, Liesl hesitated.  
  
Georg stood next to the door to the carriage and held the handle down.  
  
"Jump!" he yelled at Liesl as he felt someone pushing against the door from the other side. And just as she did, taking a screaming Gretl with her in her arms, the Captain could not hold the door any longer.  
  
The soldier who had pounded his shoulder against the door crashed to the floor as the door suddenly gave way. While still on the floor, the soldier made a grab for Georg's legs. He missed, and Georg stepped back into the doorway and swung his fist at whomever it was approaching now. He hit the second soldier square in the face, breaking his nose with a sickening crack. The man sagged on the floor, knocked out, and half fell over his comrade. Herr Zeller emerged from behind the falling soldier and lunged at Georg. The first soldier grabbed Georg from his position on the floor, pulling the Captain downward. As he fell, Zeller tried to keep him down by placing a knee in the small of Georg's back and sliding his arm around his neck. Georg gasped at the sharp pain in his back and fought with all his might to get out of the grip of the two Nazis.  
  
Zeller managed to keep the Captain down, but he had not counted on Maria. She flung herself onto him and hammered her fists down on his back with all her might. As her punches rained down on his shoulders and head, Zeller had to let go of Georg's neck and put his arms around his head, to protect himself from the blows she was dealing him.  
  
Zeller stood up while Maria continued pounding and kicking him. Georg felt the weight lift from his back and struggle to overpower the soldier on the floor of the train.  
  
Zeller turned to face Maria, still using his arms to shield his face as much as possible. He grabbed her wrist and used his body mass to force her into a corner. Maria instinctively fought him with all the anger and strength that had been welling up inside her, but he was much heavier and stronger. Pressing her against the wall, he pulled her arm hard to turn her around, so that she was with her back to him. He put an arm around her waist and pulled her tight, trying to stop her from writhing under his grip. The sudden pressure on her ribs made her cry out in pain. Zeller noticed her reaction and his eyes squinted as he realised she was injured. Taking advantage of her pain, he tightened his grip, causing her to gasp for breath. As Zeller slowly turned her away from the wall, Maria felt the cold hard metal of a gun on her temple. She held still, overcome by pain and fear.  
  
On the floor, Georg had managed to overcome the soldier by rolling on top of him. The man had tried to get up and pushed Georg's weight off him, but the Captain scrambled to his feet and cannoned into the soldier. He smashed him into the wall, knocking him out. As this soldier sagged to the floor next to his still comrade, who was still out cold, Georg drew his gun and turned around to help Maria - and froze as he saw Zeller holding a gun to her head.  
  
"There's no getting away this time, Captain," Zeller hissed at him. He slowly tightened his grip on Maria's waist and Georg saw her face contort in pain. She bit her lip, not wanting to grant Zeller the pleasure of hearing her cry, but silent tears were rolling down her cheeks.  
  
"Let her go," panted Georg. He was bent over, glaring at Zeller with barely contained rage. His shirt had been torn open in the scuffle and from a scrape on his temple a drop of blood, mixed with sweat, ran down his face. He took a step towards Zeller and Maria, having to use every inch of control not to lunge out at Zeller.  
  
"Stop right there, Captain," Zeller told him. " Put your gun on the floor and then turn around and put your hands on the wall. If you co-operate, I might not have to kill your lovely wife here." As she felt his wet breath on her temple, Maria turned her head away in disgust.  
  
Georg gave Zeller and icy stare, before shifting his look to Maria. She looked away from him, trying not the show how much she was hurting. She did not want to be the reason for him to surrender. But Georg saw how her tear- streaked face had gone grey in pain and fear, and he realised he had no choice. He dropped his gun, which spun across the floor, and slowly turned around.  
  
"Very good, Captain," commented Herr Zeller.  
  
Maria looked at her husband. Their eyes met for a short moment before she looked away in pain and defeat.  
  
Zeller lowered the gun and nudged Maria in the ribs with it, motioning for her to step forward. Still holding her tightly, he walked up behind the Captain. He moved the hand that held the gun to the side of Georg's head.  
  
"Now, you step aside," he told Maria, hissing into her ear. He pulled her aside before letting go of her arm. As he gave her a last push, his free hand moved to the Captain's wrist.  
  
Maria fell to her knees at the push sideways, but Zeller paid no attention to her, assuming she was in too much pain to even stand up anymore. Instead, he made the Captain face the wall, holding him with one hand, the other hand holding the gun to Georg's head.  
  
***  
  
"Will you be able to walk?" Max asked Brigitta, who'd sprained her ankle while jumping off the train. She nodded a bit hesitantly and tried to stand on it again. She wobbled as she shifted her weight onto her injured foot, but she nodded more convincingly.  
  
"I'll manage," she said.  
  
"Good." Max rubbed his hands nervously and looked around at the seven faces, which were looking up at him in anticipation. Apart from a few bruises and Brigitta's ankle, they had all survived the jump remarkably well. But -  
  
"Uncle Max, where are Father and Mother?" asked Louisa.  
  
Max looked over his shoulder along the train track. He could just see the train standing still in the distance, but there was no trace of Georg and Maria. They hadn't jumped, and he did not like any of the explanations he could think of. Finally, he just shook his head. He wanted to go and check on the situation, but he did not want to take the children for fear of what they might find. On the other hand, he could hardly leave them alone in the middle of an Italian field somewhere.  
  
The sound of a gunshot echoing through the night air put an end to his thoughts.  
  
"That was a gun!" shouted Friedrich.  
  
The others turned to him or Max in shock. Then, as one, all eight of them ran in the direction of the train.  
  
***  
  
"You made a good effort, Captain," Zeller told Georg, while pushing him even harder against the wall. "But as you see, nobody escapes their duties in the forces of the Third Reich, not even an Austrian hero such as yourself."  
  
Before Georg could retort, Maria made a grab for Zeller's ankle. From her position on the ground she did not manage to pull him down, but for a moment Zeller stumbled and had to pull the gun away from Georg, flinging his arms to maintain his balance. Georg immediately took advantage of Zeller's lapse in concentration, and plunged his elbow backwards into the Nazi's ribs. Zeller doubled over and dropped his gun. Seizing the opportunity, Maria scrambled across the floor to Georg's gun and grabbed it.  
  
Georg turned around and moved toward Zeller, but he had already recovered from the blow to his ribs, and took a swing at the Captain. He hit him across the jaw, sending Georg stumbling backwards. Georg needed a second to regain his balance, almost tripping over one of the unconscious soldiers. But before Zeller could take advantage of the situation and attack Georg again, they heard Maria's voice.  
  
"Stop right there, Herr Zeller," she said, voice slightly wavering.  
  
She had stood up and was pointing Georg's gun at Zeller, who was standing in front of the open doorway. He stopped his movement as he saw Maria. Georg noticed how she was trembling and moved toward her, meaning to take over the gun from her, but kept his eyes on Zeller.  
  
Herr Zeller was looking at Maria in disdain. "My, my, look at the Baroness," he sneered, looking from her face to the gun and back. "I'm finding it hard to believe that a woman who wanted to become a nun could ever fire a gun." The look he gave her was utterly condescending.  
  
Maria didn't respond, but the gun shook in her trembling hands.  
  
Suddenly, Zeller bent forward and picked up his gun. Georg was anticipating action from Zeller and dove at Zeller's feet, but Maria saw he would be too late. As Zeller brought the gun up in the direction of her husband, Maria did not hesitate. She pointed, and pulled the trigger.  
  
The crack of the gun echoed through the train.  
  
The expression on Zeller's face turned to utter surprise. He touched his shoulder, and when he brought his hand in front of his face, he looked at the blood on his fingers in disbelief. His other hand went numb, and his gun fell to the floor again. He looked up at Maria, who was staring at him. For a moment, their eyes locked.  
  
"I guess I was wrong, Baroness," Zeller mumbled. He took a few steps backwards, and fell from the train, which was now standing still.  
  
Georg turned to face Maria.  
  
She had fallen to her knees, gun still in her hands. She looked at it in horror.  
  
"I shot him.. .." she mumbled. She dropped the gun and looked at Georg.  
  
"I shot him," she repeated, fear and utter disbelief in her voice.  
  
Georg knelt next to her and wrapped his arms around her.  
  
You had no choice," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. "You saved my life."  
  
And as he kissed her again, he felt her collapsing in his arms. All the emotions of the last day, her fear and pain seemed to well up inside of her like a flood, and her body shook as she let her tears run freely. Georg sat down on the floor of the train, pulled her into his lap, and held her. As he stroked her face and kissed the top of her head, his eyes glistened while he stared into the dark night.  
  
***  
  
~Epilogue~  
  
Georg watched Maria from a distance, as she stood against the railing of the ship. The coast of Spain faded away on the horizon until there was nothing to see in all directions but the grey waters of the Atlantic.  
  
He walked up to her and slipped an arm around her shoulder. She rested her head against her husband without a word.  
  
They stood in silence for a while, looking at the ocean. Georg stroked Maria's back softly, knowing the turmoil that must be going on in her head.  
  
"I could have killed him," Maria said suddenly.  
  
Georg looked aside to his wife's face. She had regained a bit of colour, the fresh sea air was doing her good. But she had not spoken about their ordeal since they had boarded the ship in Genua, two days ago. Georg had not pressed her - he knew she would open up to him when she was ready.  
  
"But you did not," he answered. "It was only a flesh wound."  
  
She turned to face him. The expression in her eyes was one of torment.  
  
"I could have," she emphasized. "I'm.. .. " She motioned helplessly with her hands, at a loss for words to describe her emotions.  
  
Georg pulled her to him and stroked her back, trying to comfort her. He remembered how he'd felt after shooting a man for the first time: shocked, confused, and angry that circumstances had brought him to pull the trigger at another human being. To Maria, her sensitive, loving nature must make it a hundred times harder to deal with.  
  
"I know. And what makes it the hardest, is that you don't regret what you did," Georg whispered into her ear. "Because you know that you didn't have a choice."  
  
She pulled her head back and looked at him, surprised at how well he understood. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "I'd do it again! I mean, I know it was wrong, but I could not let him shoot you.. .." she shook her head in painful confusion.  
  
Georg reached up and touched her cheek, wiping away a tear.  
  
"I know how you feel, Maria," he said, seriously, looking her in the eyes. "I know how confused you must be. But I'm grateful that you saved my life."  
  
"Me too," she said, a tiny smile showing through her tears. "But I'll have to learn to live with what I did."  
  
"You will," Georg said, confident in her strength. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her forehead. Again, they looked out at the sea for a while, holding each other close.  
  
After a while, Georg said: "Come," and took her hand. He led her across the deck to the other side of the ship, and pointed at the sea.  
  
"Do you see that?" he asked.  
  
Maria turned to him, puzzled.  
  
"It's the ocean," she stated.  
  
"Not exactly," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "It's the direction we're going in, Maria. We're going forward, we can leave our pasts behind us. Can you see it?"  
  
Maria looked at the ocean again. Across the wide body of water lay America, where they would begin a new life.  
  
"Yes, I can see it," she whispered. "It's our future."  
  
~*~*~*~*~END~*~*~*~*~ 


End file.
